Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
by ChocolatteKitty-Kat
Summary: A friend of the Doctor criss-crosses through his timeline, adventuring with him and his various companions. Mostly 5 and AU 12/13 (Capaldi, whatever regeneration you consider him). AU Alfie Owens, too, I suppose.
1. Meetings and Discoveries

**A/N: So, bear with me, I know it's really hard to understand... Things get cleared up later on, so just hang in there! If you notice anything grammar-wise, I'd be grateful if you'd let me know so I can fix it ^^**

**The Doctor finds a mysterious girl on a desolate moon and takes her back to the TARDIS to try and help her. Once there, he realizes something familiar about her...**

* * *

"This isn't right," the Doctor muttered. He walked further away from the relative safety of the TARDIS, searching for signs of life. The moon, from what he remembered, had few inhabitants, most of them miners who probed the underlayers of the moon's crust for precious ores. However, the surface was heavily patrolled by security officers to ensure no-one was illegally mining. In the amount of time that had passed since the TARDIS landed, at least two or three patrols should have passed through the area. The Doctor continued to move further and further away from the TARDIS, stopping to examine the crashed light globes as he reached them. "They've exploded from the inside," he observed. "All of them." He looked around. "Should find a colony," he decided, and set off in the direction that promised the most light.

It wasn't long before the Doctor reached the source of the light. A trio of light globes remained floating above the ground, although they hovered so low that they might as well have been resting on the ground itself. In the center of the globes, the Doctor could see a small form, darker than the dark grey ash of the ground, curled into a fetal position and completely still. Alarmed, he shoved one of the light balls aside, sending it careening off into the distance, and dropped to his knees next to the blob. Gently uncurling it, he discovered a young child, a human girl, no more than eight earth years old, with short red-brown curls, a button nose, and a round, pale face, covered in the dark ash. Frantically, he searched for a pulse or signs of breath. After several seconds, he released his held breath—a weak pulse fluttered in her neck under his fingers. He shrugged out of his long tan jacket and wrapped it around the child. "Come along, then," he whispered, gathering her gently into his arms and striding off decisively towards the TARDIS. He knew that the machine's restorative properties could help the child better than anything else that remained on this moon.

They reached the TARDIS in a much shorter amount of time than it had taken the Doctor to find the child. He shouldered open the door and winced as an explosion sounded in the distance. He turned to see vicious orange flames licking the black clouds of the horizon. Without a second glance, he turned and stepped into the TARDIS, carrying the child inside.

He laid the girl gently on the floor before stepping to the console. Quickly flipping switches and pressing buttons, he set new coordinates and the TARDIS whooshed as it dematerialized. Turning back to the child, he picked her up again and set off into the depths of the TARDIS. He followed drippy lipstick dashes on the wall—remnants of his regeneration, search for the zero room, and Tegan and Nyssa's search for him and Adric. "I wish we still had the zero room," he sighed, looking down at the child in his arms. "It would help you a lot more than anything else here right now will, but I'll do my best for you."

He found an empty room nearer the heart of the TARDIS than he usually dared to venture and laid the girl on the floor, still wrapped in his coat. He noted that her breathing had deepened and, when he rested his fingers against her neck, found that her pulse had strengthened even in the short time since he had brought her onto the TARDIS. He pulled off his white and red sweater, folded it, and placed it under her head. With a sigh, he sat down and examined the child in front of him. Although he could see no sign of external injuries, she could have internal damage, in which case she need professional medical care. Her face was covered in dirt, as were her clothes and limbs, and her skin was cold; he guessed that she had been lying there for a very long time. He decided to wait until she woke up to figure out what to do with her, and he stood to go in search of proper blankets and pillows for her.

When the Doctor returned, he found his sweater and coat on the floor of the room, but the child was nowhere to be seen. He groaned and set down the pillow and blankets he had found, turned, and jumped when he saw the dirty little waif huddled in the corner.

"Hello there," he said softly, taking a step towards her. When she cringed further into the crevice, he raised his hands and sat down slowly on the floor. "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised. "I want to help. Are you hurt? Are you in pain?"

After a moment's hesitation, the child shook her head, her red-brown curls bouncing.

"That's good," the Doctor smiled. "What's your name? I'm the Doctor."

The girl stared at him, wide-eyed. Her lips moved slightly, but no sound seemed to come out.

"I'm afraid you'll have to speak up," the Doctor said, smiling gently. "My hearing isn't quite good enough for that.

"Jaxlynn," the girl repeated in a slightly louder whisper. Her voice startled the Doctor: she spoke with a Terran American accent.

"Jaxlynn, where are you from?" he asked. "Are you from the moon?"

She shook her head but made no move to speak.

"Don't want to tell me? I see." The Doctor smiled reassuringly. "That's alright." He sighed deeply and stood up. "Are you hungry? I'm starving. Shall we go find some food?"

Hesitantly, Jaxlynn nodded. The Doctor held out his hand towards her, and she stepped forward to place one of her tiny hands in it. He smiled down at her. "Let's go," he prompted, and led her out into the hallway. "Hm," he said, looking down at the child trotting by his side. "Would you like to find some clean clothes? The ones you're wearing are pretty dirty."

Jaxlynn looked down at her ash-covered clothing, then back up at the Doctor and nodded. He smiled at her again and turned down a corridor on their right. He opened a door to reveal a room full of clothing. "You can poke around here for something to wear. Most of my companions are a bit older than you, but there should be something that will fit you. While you're looking, I'll go get us some food and some water for you to clean up with, alright?"

Jaxlynn nodded without looking at the Doctor and stepped into the wardrobe. He smiled slightly and closed the door behind her before setting off for the food storage and bathroom. When he returned, bearing a basket full of food, a bowl full of water, and a towel, he found Jaxlynn sitting in the doorway of the wardrobe still wearing her dirty clothes. "Couldn't find anything?" he asked.

She shook her head, sending the russet curls flying again, and pointed at the bowl of water and towel. "Ah, so you want to get cleaned up before changing?" he asked. She nodded again, and smiled as the Doctor handed her the bowl and towel. She slipped back into the wardrobe, pushing the door closed with her foot, carrying the bowl and towel.

The Doctor settled on the floor across from the door, setting the basket beside him. He rolled up his sleeves and looked down at his own clothes with a frown. His shirt was mostly clean, having been protected by his sweater and jacket, but his tan pants had turned almost completely dark grey from the heavy ash. He had washed his hands in the bathroom, but he doubted his face or pale hair were clean. While he waited for Jaxlynn to reemerge, he nibbled on one of the sandwiches he had put in the basked and wondered how she had ended up on the moon. He doubted she was the child of one of the miners; her clothing, from what was visible under the ash, was too elaborate and her hair too finely cut. But that raised the question of why she was on the moon in the first place; it wasn't exactly a tourist destination, and certainly not for anyone who would wear clothes in the style she wore. Additionally, what had caused the light globes to explode, and what did she have to do with it? Her presence and the planet-wide devastation was too great of a coincidence for his liking.

The Doctor looked up in surprise when the door of the wardrobe reopened. Jaxlynn stood in the doorway, her skin scrubbed clean to reveal a pale, freckled face with a big nose and angled, dark eyebrows. She had found a flowing pink dress that gradated from white at the top to a dark rose hue at the hem. It swirled around her little bare feet, and the ruffled sleeves brushed against her thin arms. The dress was the perfect size for her, the Doctor realized with surprise, and a small smile spread across his face as he realized why. "Very nice," he smiled widely. "Now, are you hungry?"

The girl nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up at the mention of food. She padded across the hall and sat down next to the Doctor's leg, looking up at him as though waiting for permission. "Go ahead," he prompted, and she smiled again before reaching into the basket and pulling out a sandwich.

The two ate in silence, the Doctor no longer wondering about Jaxlynn. He had all the answers he needed.

* * *

**A/N: So there. Part 1. What do you think? In case it's unclear, this is the Fifth Doctor at this point... More about Jaxlynn will be explained laterrr... Love you all for reading!**


	2. First Goodbye

**A/N: so, I have a few chapters' worth ready, but I don't want to upload them all at once...**

**Ah, and Dridda... Kalishayamandrid of House Blyledge: she's a Time Lord and a friend of the Doctor's from Gallifrey. I'm writing her backstory too, but I'm sort of stuck on it, so it might not be up for another while yet... So yeah. Sorry bout that.**

* * *

"Jax!" the Doctor called into the TARDIS. It had been three years since he had discovered the child on the ashy moon. She had spent that entire time in the depths of the TARDIS, rarely venturing past his companions' bedrooms and never leaving the safety of the TARDIS. She had recovered quickly, but the Doctor had discovered a disease- one so advanced and unique that he doubted he would be able to find a cure for it in her lifetime- buried in her DNA. He had been able to determine that the atmosphere in the TARDIS would keep the sickness at bay, but only while she was inside of it. She would only be able to leave a TARDIS-like atmosphere for short amounts of time- four or five weeks at most- for the rest of her life.

Jax—she had begun to talk on a regular basis after a year in the TARDIS, and had become louder and more boisterous ever since—burst into the control room, her shoulder-length red-brown curls forming a wild mane around her head. She wore olive green capris and a too-big cream-colored shirt. Her feet were characteristically bare. "Did you find it?" she demanded, rushing to the console and standing next to the Doctor.

He smiled down at her. "Yes, I found it," he nodded. "This is the planet we met on before I regenerated. You shouldn't be here for too long before you find me again. Do you remember what I told you I looked like?"

"Longish curly brown hair, big red coat, massively long scarf," Jax replied, bouncing on her toes and looking up at the Doctor, her big brown eyes sparkling. "You're with a boy named Adric, who has short black hair and wears a star badge."

"Very good," the Doctor nodded. "And who are you looking for on the planet to wait with until I arrive?"

"Kalishayamandrid of House Blyledge," Jax grinned. "I remembered her whole name this time."

"Very good," the Doctor smiled. He crouched down in front of the girl and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Dridda will take care of you until you find me once you show her the ring I gave you."

From under her baggy shirt, Jax pulled out a long silver chain, at the end of which hung a delicate silver ring with a blue stone. "It's Gallifreyan." She stated.

"Yes," the Doctor nodded. "Dridda will know it's mine." He stood and looked down at Jax. "Now, are you ready?"

"Yes," she nodded, the excitement in her face fading. "I have a backpack with some extra clothes in my room."

"Go get it," the Doctor ordered. Jax nodded and walked towards the door. "And get some shoes!" he shouted after her.

When Jax returned, she was carrying a sturdy-looking brown knapsack and wearing plain brown sandals. Her eyes were red-rimmed. "Doctor, I don't want to go," she sniffled.

The Doctor knelt down and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I don't want you to go either, but it won't be for long." He released her and allowed her to step back, but his hands remained on her shoulders. "Everything will be alright."

"But," Jax started. Her eyes were now overflowing with tears, and she hiccupped. "But when I find you, it won't really be you, will it?"

The Doctor sighed. "No, it won't. Not yet. But I have a feeling you'll meet this face again, and I know you'll meet others. It's going to be okay." He gave her another tight hug before releasing her and standing. "I'm sorry that I have to leave you here, but I don't have a choice. I can't help you find Dridda or myself. But I know you're going to be alright."

Jax hiccupped again and rubbed her eyes, wiping her tears on the sleeve of her shirt. "I'll miss you, Doctor."

"I will miss you too, Jaxlynn," the Doctor smiled down at her. "Now, chin up. It's time to get going."

With one last, hiccupping sob, Jax sniffed hugely and scrubbed her face with her sleeve. "Goodbye, Doctor," she said. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Jax," the Doctor replied, feeling his throat tighten. He watched her straighten up and cinch her backpack straps, take one last look around the control room, and stride towards the door. When she reached it, she glanced over her shoulder at the Doctor, waved, and stepped outside. "I'll miss you more than you'll ever know," he sighed. Resisting the urge to turn on the viewer, he pushed the lever to close the doors, keyed in the coordinates for his next destination, and pressed the button to dematerialize the TARDIS.

"Hello there," the Doctor said, peering at the child perched on a stack of wooden crates in the back alley of Pompeii.

"Hi," the girl replied.

Trying not to smile, the Doctor asked: "What's your name?"

"Jaxlynn," the girl replied, staring back at him. "And you?"

"Oh, who I am isn't important," he shrugged. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his brown, pinstripe trousers, under his brown trench coat. "You seem a little lost. Are you looking for someone?"

"Yeah," Jax replied slowly. "Why do you care?"

"Oh, no reason," the Doctor shrugged again. He kicked his foot, clad in a bright red converse high top, against the ground. "I'm just bored. I don't really have anything to do, and thought that if you were looking for someone, maybe I could help you find them."

"How would you know who I'm looking for?" Jax retorted.

"Hm, that's a good point," the Doctor agreed. "I don't. But it seems to me that if you were looking for someone, the marketplace would be a better place to look than a back alley."

"I'm meeting someone here," Jax replied grudgingly. "She's supposed to come here, and I'll find her then."

"Oh, well then," the Doctor nodded. "I suppose I'll just leave you to it."

"Yes, goodbye," Jax said, looking pointedly at the wall next to her.

"Goodbye," the Doctor smiled. He nodded politely at the child and strode out into the street, nearly running into a short young woman with golden-red hair. "Ah, hello, Dridda," he smiled.

"Doctor?" she gaped. "It can't be!"

"Why not?" he asked indignantly. "You hardly look like you did last time you saw me, anyways."

"What?" she asked.

"Never mind," he laughed. "For now, I need you to do something for me. There's a child in this alley here, waiting for you. She'll have a sign that you can trust her. I need you to do me a favor and take care of her until the two of you find me again. Well, a different me, but it will be me. Also, once you get her, the two of you must leave this city immediately."

"Doctor, what's going on?" Dridda demanded.

"No time to explain," the Doctor replied. "Now, go on. You'll be alright once you get out of here. You'll find me again soon."

Dridda stared at him, dumbfounded. "Shoo!" the Doctor scolded. "No time to waste. Goodbye, see you soon. It was nice to see you, Dridda."

With a groan, Dridda rolled her eyes and stalked into the alleyway to find Jax. The Doctor smiled after her and set off in the opposite direction to find Donna.

* * *

**A/N: Yayyy part two! Sorry if the doctors are hard to figure out which is which... I didn't really want to come straight out and say it, so I tried to just describe them through their clothes.**

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!**


	3. And So We Meet Again

**A/N: Part threeeeeeeeeee. Don't expect me to update so frequently in the future, assuming anyone is actually reading this now... Next week is finals week, and this is my way of procrastinating. Like right now, I'm procrastinating on a German presentation and studying for my German oral and written finals OTZL**

**Let's play a game! If you can count how many times I referenced other Doctors in this chapter (or even other quotes from this Doctor) you win! You won't actually win anything, but you'll still win.**

**Also, thanks to my wonderful reviewers, DesiringMagic and my wonderful roommate BrokenSky49.**

* * *

"Where are we, Doctor?" Adric asked, peering at the scanner.

"Yes, this is your first time here, isn't it?" the Doctor smiled. "It's Earth. Ancient Rome. Wonderful era. I'm supposed to meet someone here."

"How does that work?" Adric asked. "How would you know someone in ancient Rome that you're supposed to meet?"

"They're old friends. They told me I would find them here." The Doctor explained cryptically.

"What?" asked Adric.

"See, the three of us always seem to be in different parts of one another's timelines," the Doctor explained. "One of them is Gallifreyan; a distant cousin of mine. Well, very distant, and probably not a cousin, but still. The other is at least partly human. I haven't met her for the first time yet, but when I do, I will send her here to meet my friend and find me. This me, that is."

"I'm confused," Adric mumbled.

"Don't worry," the Doctor grinned goofily. "I'm just doing what I have to to fulfill my own timeline."

"Now I'm really confused," Adric groaned.

"Shall we?" the Doctor asked innocently, flipping the lever for the doors.

Adric shrugged and followed the Doctor outside, the taller man winding his long scarf around his neck as they went.

"It's beautiful," Adric gaped as they stepped outside.

"Yes, beautiful," the Doctor agreed. "The architecture is fantastic. Now, let's go. I don't want to stay here long."

"Why not?" Adric asked. "It seems perfectly peaceful."

"For now," the Doctor replied, striding away.

"Doctor!" Adric protested, hurrying after the tall figure as he strode down the street. "Do you know where we're going, Doctor?" he asked once he had caught up.

"Not at all," the Doctor grinned.

"So we're just going to wander around the city until you find your friends?" Adric asked, nonplussed.

"Why not?" the Doctor's grin widened. "I'm not sure where they're waiting for us. And like I said, the architecture is beautiful."

"And yet, you were so keen to get out of here quickly," Adric observed, a suspicious note in his voice.

"Ah, well, it can't take too long to find them," the Doctor shrugged.

"That means we could be walking around here for hours," Adric groaned.

"Not at all," the Doctor replied indignantly. "I know my way around ancient Rome. We'll head for the agora; that would be a logical place for them to wait for us."

"What's an agora?" Adric asked.

"It's a forum; a public area," the Doctor explained. "It's this way."

"Are you sure?" Adric asked drily.

"Of course!" the Doctor snapped. "Oh ye of little faith. Of course I know where the agora is! Do you really think I would say that without knowing? Of course I know where the agora is."

"You're lost, aren't you?" Adric sighed.

"No!" the Doctor exclaimed. He paused. "Although it might not hurt to ask for directions."

-A short time later-

"Here we are!" the Doctor exclaimed triumphantly. "The agora! That young man was quite helpful. Now, let's find those two."

"What do they look like, Doctor?" Adric asked. "If you tell me, I can help you look for them."

"No need," the Doctor said. "I've already found them."

Adric followed his gaze towards two young women, one appearing about eighteen, the other around ten. The elder girl had long, straight light golden-red hair while the younger had short red-brown curls. They were both dressed in out-of-place clothes, unfit for the time they were in. The older girl wore a sleeveless, light blue sundress with lace trim and a silky hairbow, while the younger wore a baggy white cotton shirt and green capris.

The duo began to make their way across the agora towards the girls. As they did so, the younger caught sight of them and poked the elder in the arm to get her attention. She pointed at the approaching duo wordlessly. The elder looked at her inquisitively, somewhat disbelievingly, but the younger girl ignored her, grabbed a sturdy-looking brown backpack from the bench behind her, hopped to the ground, and jogged towards them. After a moment's hesitation, the elder picked up a beat-up black shoulder bag and followed the younger.

"Hello, Doctor," the younger girl called as they approached.

"Hello, Jax, Dridda," the Doctor smiled.

"How do we know it's him?" the older girl asked suspiciously.

"It just is," the younger sighed.

"Yes, it's me," the Doctor smiled. "And this is Adric. Adric, this is Jax and Kalishayamandrid."

"Can we go?" Jax asked, clutching Dridda's arm. "I don't feel good."

"Yes, we might as well head back," the Doctor nodded, turning sharply on his heel and striding back in the direction they had come.

"Are you alright?" Adric asked Jax, noticing that she had become very pale even in the short amount of time since he had met her.

"I'll be alright once we get back to the TARDIS," Jax replied weakly.

"Why do you say that?" Adric asked.

"I'm sick," Jax replied. "The TARDIS is the only place where I'm okay. I can't be out of it for more than four or five weeks."

"How long has it been since you were last in the TARDIS?" Adric asked.

"Three weeks and two days," Jax replied. "But it's the first time I've been off of it in three years, since I first met the Doctor."

"Well, now I'm confused," Adric sighed.

"I first met a different incarnation of the Doctor," Jax explained. "He's the one who found out I was sick. I stayed with him on the TARDIS for three years, and then I had to leave. Three weeks and two days ago, I left him, found Dridda, and came here to wait for you two."

"Well, let's get you back to the TARDIS," Dridda soothed.

"That's a good idea," the Doctor piped up. "We don't want anything to happen to little Jax."

"Little!?" the girl protested.

"Well, you're the youngest you I've met yet," the Doctor explained. "How old are you now, ten? Eleven Earth years?"

"Eleven," Jax snapped.

"Ah, well, before now, the youngest you I'd met was fifteen, you see," the Doctor explained. "Once this you leaves this me for an older me, it will be four years before you meet a me that is younger than this me."

"Because that just clears everything right up," Adric rolled his eyes.

"I understood it," Jax said, looking up at the older boy.

"Well good for you," Adric snapped.

"Now, Adric, just because you've met someone who understands timelines and their fluctuations and irregularities better than you doesn't mean you have to be rude to her," the Doctor scolded.

"Sorry," Adric sighed.

"And here we are!" the Doctor crowed triumphantly. "I told you I knew ancient Rome well enough to find our way around."

"You did have to ask for directions the first time around, remember?" Adric reminded him.

"Oh, I didn't really have to, I just didn't want to leave Dridda and Jax waiting for too long," the Doctor replied. "Here we go."

The four companions followed the Doctor into the small blue box. He had already shed his scarf and was scurrying around the console, programming coordinates for a jump.

When Jax stepped inside, she took a deep breath, color immediately beginning to return to her cheeks. "Where are we going now, Doctor?"

"Who knows?" he grinned. "Somewhere interesting. Somewhere else."

"Why?" Dridda asked, leaning on the console. "Why are you so keen to leave ancient Rome?"

"Well, I don't much fancy it here," the Doctor shrugged. "Been here too often already. Don't want to cross myself."

"I see," Dridda nodded her understanding.

"Here we go," said the Doctor, flipping the last switch and triggering the dematerialization sequence. "Jax, you can go on in if you'd like. It might help you regain your strength more quickly."

"Okay," Jax nodded. She wandered through the door at the back of the console room and further into the TARDIS.

"Will she be alright back there?" Dridda asked, concerned.

"Oh, she'll be fine," the Doctor replied. "After all, she's spent the last three years of her life in the depths of the TARDIS."

"That's a more than slightly terrifying thought," Dridda shuddered.

"Why?" asked Adric.

"The depths of the TARDIS are not a healthy place for normal people to be," the Doctor replied gravely. "They make the mind go."

"Go where?" Adric asked.

"Many different places, and none of them what you might call safe," the Doctor frowned. "Fortunately, Jax is not at all a healthy person. She is quite ill, and that protects her from the detrimental effects of the TARDIS. Rather than unbalancing her, they stabilize her. It's quite fascinating, really."

"But she said that the first you she met was the one who discovered that she was ill, and that was a later regeneration," Dridda said, alarmed.

"Yes, and?" the Doctor asked.

"Doesn't the fact that you know now that she is ill change your future?" Dridda asked.

"More likely that me just figured out what the nature of her disease was," the Doctor shook his head. "The first me figured out that she was ill when he met her. She was quite a bit older then; it must have occurred much later in her timeline."

"I see," Dridda nodded, earning an annoyed look from Adric, who clearly did not understand what was going on. "How long will she stay in there?"

"Who knows?" the Doctor shrugged. "Could be weeks, could be hours. We'll find out when she comes out." He pushed a few buttons on the console. "Now, for Dridda." He turned to the Time Lady. "Where would you like us to take you, my dear?"

"Why can't I stay with you?" Dridda asked.

"Why?" the Doctor repeated. "Oh, my dear, I'm afraid that your destiny does not lie in the TARDIS. Our timelines may criss and they may cross, but they do not lie together."

"You know, I ran away from Gallifrey to find you," Dridda said seriously.

"I know," the Doctor replied, equally serious. "And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But you cannot stay here."

Dridda sighed. "Then I suppose it doesn't really matter where you take me. There's nowhere in particular I want to go."

"Good, because I've already set the coordinates," the Doctor grinned. "You'll like this planet, though. Wonderful place. If I could, I'd retire there."

"It's Earth, isn't it," Dridda smirked.

"No, not at all," the Doctor shook his head. "I love Earth, but I would never want to live there permanently. Much too boring."

"Then where?" Dridda asked, intrigued.

"You'll see," the Doctor grinned.

"Oh, Doctor," Dridda smiled fondly. "I will miss you."

"I know," he smiled. "I'll miss you too. But you will love this planet, I promise. And you'll find a way off of it, knowing you."

"How would you know me?" Dridda shot back. "I've just regenerated; I barely even know me!"

"Spoilers," the Doctor smiled. "Have a good time, Dridda."

"Right," Dridda rolled her eyes. She walked over to the coatrack and picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. "Goodbye, Doctor," she called over her shoulder offhandedly. "Goodbye, Adric. It was nice meeting you." She added as she exited the TARDIS.

"Goodbye, Dridda," the Doctor called after her.

"Now what, Doctor?" Adric asked as the doors shut behind Dridda.

"We go exploring," the Doctor grinned.

* * *

**A/N: Okay! So, I didn't reference other Doctors as much as I thought in this chapter... And I think I got different numbers both times I counted O_o Anyways, the number I ended up with was three, but if you got four, that's probably right because that's what I got the first time I counted. If you got two, that might be because one was an indirect reference to the fourth Doctor's regeneration into the Fifth and is more like half of a reference.**

**Anyways, as ever, thanks for reading! I'd appreciate it if you reviewed, but if you don't... well, that's up to you.**


	4. Going on an Adventure

**Oh yeah, this is a thing... I completely forgot about this fic... Thank you, BrokenSky49 for reminding me... ^^;**

* * *

"We've landed," the Doctor stated.

"Where?" Adric asked, leaning over the console to look at the coordinate readout.

"I'm not sure," the Doctor replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "Let's go."

"Go?" Adric gaped. "Go where? I thought you said you didn't know what was out there!"

"I don't," the Doctor grinned. "But the best way to find out is to go and look."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Adric asked.

"Oh, most certainly not," the Doctor replied, quite seriously. "Now, let's go!"

"What about Jax?" Adric called after the Doctor as the Time Lord opened the door.

"Ah," the Doctor paused. "Just a minute." He retreated to the door in the back of the console room and opened it. He leaned through and began to shout: "Jax! Jax, Adric and I are going out! Would you like to come along, assuming you're feeling well enough?"

"How do you know she can hear you?" Adric asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you'd be surprised to know how sound travels inside the TARDIS corridors," the Doctor grinned in reply. "Hear that?"

"What?" Adric asked.

"Footsteps," the Doctor replied. "She's coming to join us."

The Doctor stepped away from the door and went over to the coatrack to fetch his scarf. As he began to wind it around his neck, the back door of the console room flew open and Jax burst through. She was now dressed in a long, loose maroon skirt and the same cream blouse. Her russet curls were pinned back on the sides, pulling them out of her round, pale face. "Can I really come along?" she  
gasped, ecstatic.

"Of course," the Doctor reassured her. "As long as you're feeling well enough, and as long as you're wearing some form of shoes."

"I'm feeling quite decent," Jax grinned. "Not perfect, but well enough. And I am wearing shoes. I knew you wouldn't let me go out if I wasn't, so I put some on before I came."

"Show me," the Doctor ordered.

Jax pulled up the hem of her long skirt to reveal her feet, clad in the sturdy brown sandals she had been wearing earlier. "See? Shoes."

"Very good," the Doctor nodded. "Well then, Adric, are you ready?"

"I suppose," the boy sighed. "And you're sure it's alright to bring her?"

"I can hear you," Jax glared at the older boy.

"Yes, she'll be fine so long as we come back within a few days," the Doctor joked. "And I highly doubt we'll be gone anywhere near that long."

"Can we go?" Jax asked eagerly. "I'd really love to see a new place. Rome was wonderful; I can't wait to see more of the universe."

"That's the spirit!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Now, let's go!"

Jax scrambled towards the doors after the Doctor. With a sigh, Adric followed. They emerged on a silver grass plain, the water-like surface stretching almost as far as they could see in every direction, until it met with the purple shadows of high, dark mountains far in the distance. The sky was a brilliant, cheery blue, freckled with wisps of cotton-like white clouds. High in the sky was a large, dim red sun.

"It's beautiful," Jax breathed, enraptured by the scenery. Adric merely nodded in agreement, dumbfounded by the beauty of the planet.

"Yes, it is," the Doctor agreed. "Shall we explore?"

"Yes, lets!" Jax grinned. She strode to stand next to the Doctor and seized his hand in her own, smiling up at the tall man.

"Come along, Adric," the Doctor called as he set off, Jax trotting by his side. Adric hurried after them, leaving behind the TARDIS.

"Where are we going, Doctor?" Adric called as he caught up to the Doctor and Jax.

"Who knows?" the Doctor grinned. "I've never been here before."

"So we have no idea what we might find here?" Adric replied, nonplussed.

"Exactly," the Doctor's grin widened. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"I suppose," Adric said dubiously. "I just don't want to find anything unpleasant is all. I mean, if Jax is ill, wouldn't it be a bad idea to excite her? It might make her worse."

"No, I doubt that," the Doctor brushed him off. "That's not the way it works."

"How does it work, then?" Adric challenged.

"I don't know yet," the Doctor replied absentmindedly. "That's not for this me to find out."

"Oh, please don't start that again," Adric groaned. "I get so confused when you start talking about your different selves."

"Yes, time travel is a bit hard to grasp, even for minds as bright as yours," the Doctor shrugged. "Don't dwell too much on it. For now, let's just focus on exploring this planet!"

The Doctor lengthened his stride further, requiring Jax to quicken her own pace beside him and Adric to quicken his stride behind them. They crossed the plain in a much shorter time than any of them had expected, reaching the mountains in under an hour.

"They're gorgeous," Jax gaped. "Have you ever seen anything like it, Doctor?"

"Oddly enough, yes," the Doctor frowned. "It reminds me a great deal of Gallifrey."

"Gallifrey?" Adric asked. "How so?"

"Well, we have the wide plains with the grass, but ours is red," the Doctor explained. "There are trees like these, though. Almost exactly, in fact. The same dark grey trunks and silver leaves… the leaves of Gallifreyan trees are even the same shape. Odd, isn't it."

"Why?" Adric asked. "Couldn't the same trees be on more than one world?"

"Oh, yes, that's not what's odd," the Doctor shook his head. "What's odd is that Gallifrey is a very unique planet. There aren't really many places in the universe that look like it."

"What places do look like Gallifrey?" Jax asked.

"Oh, I don't really know of any off of the top of my head," the Doctor replied.

"What about other planets in the same solar system as Gallifrey?" Adric asked. "Are they similar?"

"There are four planets other than Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous, as well as an asteroid," the Doctor replied. "The first is Polarfrey, which is a gas giant. There is also Karn, but that is a burnt-out dusthole since the last war that took place there. I don't remember the other two, but I don't think either of them is inhabitable, and I know the asteroid is not."

"Are there any planets like Gallifrey that you've come across?" Adric queried.

"No," the Doctor stated.

"Doctor, what did Karn look like before it was burned?" Jax asked.

The Doctor paused. "Why, I don't know!" he replied. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I was just wondering if this could be Karn from a long time ago," Jax shrugged.

"Yes, that's quite possible," the Doctor replied, excited. "It would have to be a very, very long time ago—thousands of years—though. Karn became a colony planet for the inhabitants of Gallifrey… oh, quite a while ago. It wouldn't have been this peaceful after the colonization."

"You're right, it's so quiet," Adric observed. "I didn't notice until now; there's not even any birdsong!"

"No birdsong…" the Doctor repeated. "No birdsong… no birdsong!"

"What of it, Doctor?" Adric asked.

"There should be birdsong," the Doctor mumbled. "There are many birds on Karn. Or, there were, before the burning."

"So?" Adric shrugged. "Maybe they don't sing at this time of day."

"I don't think so," the Doctor frowned. "More likely the colonization has begun."

"What's wrong with that?" Jax asked, noting the hint of alarm in the Doctor's voice.

"Well, the colonization process involves clearing areas for the colonies themselves to be built," the Doctor replied. "There is a tool that will vaporize everything in a selected area, while leveling the ground to create an optimal colony site."

"What does that mean?" Adric asked.

"It means that random sections of the planet's surface will have everything in those areas immediately disintegrated!" the Doctor cried. "Quickly, we must get back to the TARDIS!"

"It's gone!" Adric cried, pointing in the direction they had come from. Previously, the blue box had been visible, its dark color stark against the silver grass and purple mountains. Now, however, they were able to look unimpeded across the plain.

"No, no, no," the Doctor groaned. He turned in a circle, running his hands through his wild hair. He stopped and stared up the mountain. "Come on," he said decisively. He grabbed Jax and Adric's hands and pulled them into the forested mountain. "Upwards and onwards!" he cried. "It would be rather foolish to put a colony on the side of a mountain, don't you think?"

"But what about the TARDIS, Doctor?" Adric asked. "We can't leave Karn without it!"

"Yes, yes, I know," the Doctor brushed him aside.

"Not to mention that in a day or two, Jax is going to need the TARDIS atmosphere to keep from getting sick again," Adric added.

"Yes," the Doctor sighed. "I hadn't forgotten. Hopefully, we'll find it quickly. If not, things could get hairy."

"But wait, didn't you say that an earlier you met a later Jax?" Adric asked. "Doesn't that mean that we're definitely going to find the TARDIS in time?"

"Oh, not at all," the Doctor replied grimly. "It is more than slightly possible to change my own timeline. Jax and my's meeting isn't a fixed point. Although fixed points can be changed anyways, but that's beyond the point at the moment."

"Doctor, what's that sound?" Jax piped up.

"What sound?" the Doctor asked, turning to her.

"That loud grumbling sound," Jax replied.

"Oh, that sound," the Doctor's brow furrowed. "That's probably the colonization process," he gulped.

"How do we know where it's going to strike?" Adric demanded.

"We can't," the Doctor gulped.

-Later-

"Doctor, I'm tired," Jax sighed. The trio had slowed their pace since leaving the meadow, but the small girl was flagging.

"I know," the Doctor sighed. "Come here," he added. He picked her up and swung her onto his hip, carrying her like a toddler. "You know, you're a bit big to carry like this."

"You didn't have to pick me up," Jax quipped.

The Doctor stopped and glared at her. "You're quite sarcastic for an eleven-year-old."

"I've spent the last three years in the TARDIS with only you for company," Jax replied seriously. "I had nothing better to do than work on my sarcasm."

"Are you sure you're only eleven?" the Doctor shot back. "You sound too old for yourself."

"Doctor, hadn't we better find somewhere to stop for the night?" Adric sighed. "The sun's starting to set, and it will be getting dark soon."

"Yes, you're right," the Doctor agreed, looking around. "Keep your eyes open for a cave or something."

"Like that one?" Adric asked, pointing.

The Doctor turned to look in the direction Adric indicated. "Yes. Yes, that will do just fine. Good job, Adric!" with a renewed sense of purpose, the Doctor strode towards the small cave tucked into a convenient rise in the mountainside. When they reached the cave, the Doctor set Jax down and the three slipped into the cave. "A bit small, but it will do until morning," the Doctor observed, peering around the small rock chamber. "At least it's not wet."

"At least it's not occupied," Adric added drily.

"Ah," the Doctor paused. "True. Definitely something else to be thankful for." He poked the back wall of the cave.

"What are you doing, Doctor?" Jax asked. She had perched on a rock near the entrance of the chamber, and was peering into the depths where the Doctor stood. Adric had stopped in the middle of the small chamber, and now turned to look back at Jax in the entrance.

"Just checking," the Doctor replied absently.

"Checking what?" Adric asked, turning to face the Time Lord again.

"Well, you never know when a wall could be false," the Doctor shrugged. Seemingly satisfied, he pulled off his red overcoat, rolled up his sleeves, and sat down on a rock. He grinned up at the two children. "Fortunately, we appear to have found a solid and safe refuge for the night." He spread the overcoat on the ground. "You two can sleep here. I'll keep watch."

"What about you?" Jax asked, standing and joining Adric near the center of the cave. "Aren't you tired?"

"No, my dear, it's alright," the Doctor replied. "I don't need to sleep, at least not like you two do."

"Are you sure?" Jax asked.

"Positive," the Doctor grinned. "Now, you two get to sleep. It's a bit tight, but it's also going to get quite cold tonight."

With a sigh, Adric and Jax complied. They sat down on the waistcoat as the Doctor made his way to the front of the cave. Jax laid down immediately and fell asleep quickly. Adric remained seated for several minutes, watching the doctor at the mouth of the cave. The tall man sat on the same rock Jax had perched on earlier. He was silhouetted by the last remnants of light from the setting sun. "Doctor?" Adric called.

"Yes, Adric?" the Doctor replied without turning.

"Do you have any idea how we're going to get out of here?" Adric asked.

"Of course," the Doctor replied. "We shall find the TARDIS."

"And how are we going to do that?" Adric sighed.

"Don't worry," the Doctor said. "I'll figure it out. Get some sleep."

With a final sigh, Adric laid down. Beside him, Jax had curled into a small ball and was breathing evenly as she slept. He stared at the cave ceiling, studying the cracks in the rocks above him until the light faded too much for him to see and he fell asleep.

-The Next Morning-

Adric woke as the light of the rising sun began to pierce the depths of the cave. He shuddered; it was cold. His breath rose in white puffs of smoke towards the cave ceiling. Beside him, Jax had pressed herself against his side, her head resting on his shoulder. Adric shifted slightly to peer at the entrance and was shocked to discover that the Doctor was gone. Jax shivered and stretched as she began to wake up.

Jax sat up, freeing Adric to do the same. "Where's the Doctor?" she asked, noting his absence as Adric had.

"I don't know," Adric replied grimly. "Let's go find him."

The two clambered to their feet, and Adric leaned back down to pick up the Doctor's overcoat. "He'll want this."

Jax nodded in agreement and led the way out of the cave. They emerged, squinting, into bright, red-tinted sunlight. "Which way?" Jax asked, glancing around them.

"I don't know. Up, I suppose." Adric replied. "That way, we'll have a better view of the land around here."

"Okay," Jax agreed. She grabbed Adric's hand and started up the slope, tugging the older boy into action behind her. "How far up are we going to go?"

"I'm not sure," Adric replied. "If we feel like we're near the top, we can see if there's a tree we could climb to get a look down into the valley."

"What if the Doctor goes back to the cave to look for us and can't find us?" Jax asked after they had been walking for several minutes.

"He'll find us," Adric reassured, sounding more positive than he felt.

"Okay," Jax said.

They walked in silence for nearly an hour before the steep incline began to level out. "I think we're getting near the top," Adric observed. "I'm going to look for a tree to climb so that I can see into the valley. You wait here." He handed the Doctor's overcoat to Jax and strode towards the nearest tree with low-hanging branches and began to climb it.

"Be careful, Adric!" Jax called as her new friend ascended further into the tree.

Adric climbed as high as he dared, before the branches became too thin to bear his weight. Choosing the thickest limb near him, Adric began to edge outwards from the trunk.

"Adric, be careful!" Jax called from the ground.

"Jax, I can see the Doctor!" Adric cried, excited. "He's only a few meters to the west of here!"

"That's great!" the girl shouted up to him. "Come on down so we can meet him! And be careful!"

Adric cautiously edged back towards the trunk and began to make his way back towards the ground. "I hope the Doctor doesn't move too much before we get there."

"How long do you think it'll take us to reach him?" Jax asked.

"Not too long, I hope," Adric replied as they set off in the direction he had seen the Doctor. "He was less than a mile away."

"Oh, that's good," Jax sighed. "I'm tired of walking."

"How are you feeling?" Adric asked, glancing down at the small girl.

"Okay," Jax shrugged. "I've definitely felt worse. But I do hope we find the TARDIS soon."

"Let's hurry and get to the Doctor," Adric suggested. "Maybe he'll have figured out how to find the TARDIS."

* * *

**OOOHHH CLIFF HANGER! Yeah... I'll upload the next part at some point...**


End file.
